Battle Droids
(Trade Federation troops)
Context
These so-so robotic soldiers appear in the prequels of the Star Wars movies. We will brazenly assume that you are familiar with Star Wars movies, because we thrive on risk and adrenaline.
Background
- Known Relatives: Super Battle Droids.
- Group Affiliation: Trade Federation.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile.
- Height: 6’3” Weight: 100 lbs.
- Optical Sensors: Black
Advertisement
Powers and Abilities
These lightweight droids serve as disposable troops for the Trade Federation and its customers. They are not very durable, sometimes literally falling apart when they lose power. However, their low price allows them to be deployed in numbers that usually overcome issues of attrition.
Their lack of intelligence and initiative make them much less effective than living troops on a one-for-one basis, though this is also partially compensated by their inexpensiveness compared to live soldiers.
Common variants of the standard Battle Droid have been designed for specialized functions.
- Security droids have slightly greater intelligence and initiative to better deal with prisoners.
- Pilot Battle Droids have additional programming to operate vehicles with slightly greater efficiency.
- Command Battle Droids have increased intelligence and some basic tactical programming.
- There is also a series of Battle Droids designed specifically for underwater activity. These are exactly like the standard models other than the alterations necessary for aquatic work.
As an additional control measure, the Battle Droids can only function when they are receiving signals from a Droid Control Facility.
History
The Trade Federation sought troops that it could quickly field at a low price and easily control. The Battle Droid design by the Neimoidians filled these criteria. Battle Droids were not as capable as living troops but could be manufactured much more swiftly and inexpensively than living troops could be recruited and trained.
The Battle Droids could also be controlled through a Droid Control Facility (usually a modified Trade Federation Transport), ensuring that they would not rebel against their masters.
Video
Here’s the The Phantom Menace sequence that shows the battle droids deploying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaK6ZlicwZE
Description
The Neimoidian Battle Droids are somewhat blocky, skeletally thin, humanoid robots with elongated muzzles for faces. They are designed to resemble desiccated Neimoidian corpses.
Most of them are simply painted off-white. Specialized variants have colored patches in various locations denoting their function. Thus Security Droids have red patches on their shoulders, Pilots have blue patches on the shoulders, and Command Droids have yellow on top of their heads and on their chests.
Personality
Most Battle Droids have very limited intelligence. They follow orders to the best of their ability and struggle when confronted with unexpected circumstances. They do have a primitive sense of self-preservation, enough so to express dismay when they perceive danger and to take cover if possible.
The command and security models are slightly more intelligent and the command variant is capable of basic coordination of troop actions.
Quotes
Command Battle Droid: “Check it out, corporal. We’ll cover you.”
Security Battle Droid: “Roger, roger.”
Command Battle Droid: “Halt !”
Qui-Gon Jinn: “I’m ambassador to the Supreme Chancellor. I’m taking these people to Coruscant.”
Commander: “Where are you taking them ?”
Qui-Gon: “To Coruscant.”
Commander: “Coruscant ? Uh, that doesn’t compute. Uh, wait, uh…You’re under arrest !”
DC Universe History
Any group with robotic technology could have such troops at their bidding.
Since the Battle Droids were designed to resemble the corpses of their creators for additional psychological effect, their physiognomy would change to match. For example, Battle Droids designed by a human creator would look more like a human skeleton.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Battle Droids
| Dex: 02 | Str: 02 | Bod: 02 | Motivation: Serve the Trade Federation |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 01 | Min: 03 | Occupation: Soldier |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 01 | Spi: 03 | Resources {or Wealth}: N/A |
| Init: 03 | HP: —- |
Powers:
Radio Communication: 14, Running: 03, Self-Linked Gadgetry: 03
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Radio Communication is not restricted to the APs of Self-Linked Gadgetry (+1FC) and is Scrambled (+1FC).
- Self-Linked Gadgetry is Always On (-1FC).
Skills:
Vehicles (Air, Land, Water): 02, Weaponry (Firearms, Heavy): 02
Advantages:
Miscellaneous (Battle Droids adhere very strictly to their orders, giving them an OV/RV of 08/08 versus Character Interaction attempts to dissuade them from their duties), Stabilization, Misc. : Immune to Mystical and Mental effects in some cases – see below.
Drawbacks:
MPR (Unless a Droid Control Facility (usually a vessel in orbit) is broadcasting within the Radio Comm range of a Battle Droid, it will shut down. If a Droid is inside a Trade Federation vehicle with Radio Comm (such as those below), it can use the vehicle’s Radio Comm range for this purpose.)
Equipment:
- Blaster [BODY 04, Energy Blast: 05].
- Speargun [BODY: 04, Projectile Weapons: 05, Limitation: Projectile Weapons only has Ammo: 20].
- Macrobinoculars [BODY: 02, Telescopic Vision: 05, Ultra Vision: 05. Command Battle Droids sometimes carried these visual aids, particularly when tasked with commanding large groups].
- Single Trooper Aerial Platform (STAP) [STR 02 BODY 04, Energy Blast: 08, Flight: 07. This one-droid repulsorlift vehicle provides basic air support for Battle Droid armies. The STAPs usually fly at 5-6 APs of speed, to keep pace with the vehicles they escort and the targets they encounter].
- ARMORED ASSAULT TANK (ATT) [STR 07 BODY: 14 (Hardened Defenses), Energy Blast: 12, Energy Blast (x2): 10, Projectile Weapons: 14, Radio Communication: 14, Running: 06, Skin Armor: 02, Limitations: Projectile Weapons has Ammo: 12; Radio Communication is Scrambled (+1FC); Skin Armor only adds to RV for ramming attacks].
This heavy repulsorlift vehicle is operated by four Battle Droids (a pilot, two gunners, and a commander) and serves as basic artillery and armor support for Battle Droid armies. The Projectile Weapons could be fired by the pilot, the two 10 AP Energy Blasts were each assigned to one of the gunners, and the 12 AP Energy Blast (the main gun) was operated by the commander.
There is an aquatic variant of this tank, the ATT-W. It is used to support Aquatic Battle Droid operations and acts as a local Droid Control Facility for the Aquatic Battle Droids, who cannot always receive the usual control signals from orbital facilities. - MULTI-TROOP TRANSPORT (MTT) [STR 10 BODY 16, Energy Blast: 11, Radio Communication: 14, Running: 05, Limitations: Radio Communication is Scrambled (+1FC)]. These large repulsorlift vehicles do not serve a main combat function themselves, but instead carry 112 Battle Droids ready for deployment from large extensible racks.
Do battle droids dream of battle sheep ?
Though the Battle Droids are sophisticated enough to have Mind and Spirit Attributes, they will still be immune to most powers and abilities that affect an organic brain or a living soul, which includes most forms of telepathic powers or mystical attacks.
Droids are known to be unaffected by Force-based mental manipulation or direct detection (through Life Sense for example), though Force-users can anticipate Droids’ actions just as they can sense danger from any other threat.
The GM should decide on a case by case basis whether a particular Mental or Mystical ability will affect a Battle Droid.
Variant Battle Droids
- Security Battle Droid (red markings): Raise Int to 03 and Initiative to 05, lower Radio Communication to 05.
- Pilot Battle Droid (blue markings): Raise Vehicles (Air, Land, Water) to 03, lower Radio Communication to 05.
- Command Battle Droid (yellow markings): Raise Int to 03 and Initiative to 05, add Military Science (Field Command): 03*.
- Aquatic Battle Droid: Add Sonar: 05, Swimming: 04, Ultra Vision: 06, Water Freedom: 02, Miscellaneous Drawback (No legs — Aquatic Battle Droids can only move underwater); Aquatic Battle Droids come in basic models and the variants listed above.
Source of Character: Star Wars Episodes I and II (movies).
Helper(s): Star Wars Episode I Visual Dictionary, Star Wars Episode I Incredible Cross Sections, Sébastien Andrivet, Eric Langendorff, Chris Cottingham, Mike.